


Eye in the Sky

by TheEmpressAR



Series: "Deleted Scenes" #TeenLawRusso - Complete [1]
Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Regret, Rivalry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-13 00:42:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14738885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEmpressAR/pseuds/TheEmpressAR
Summary: What may have happened...one night long ago...shaped the futures of both men and put them on the paths they are on today."Don't let the mistakes of the past define who you are in the future."  (paraphrase)





	1. Regret

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, Everyone! I am now officially sucked in on this ship!! I would have NEVER thought it possible 30 years ago when I was watching this as a kid, and that only with Cobra Kai being out I can see this beloved movie in a totally different light! I feel so much for Johnny!! And that is the result of EXCELLENT writing and acting!!
> 
> I love the scenes in Part 9 where they FINALLY let down their guards enough to somewhat "tolerate" the other...at least for the moment. It tugged at my heartstrings. 
> 
> Please let me know if you want MORE!! And I will be back with a Part II!!
> 
> *Disclaimer - I only own a deep love and respect for this movie and now webseries! 
> 
> Story title and Song used: Eye in the Sky - Alan Parson's Project

_Don't think sorry's easily said_  
_Don't try turning tables instead_  
_You've taken lots of Chances before_  
_But I'm not gonna give anymore_  
_Don't ask me_  
_That's how it goes_  
_Cause part of me knows what you're thinkin'- Eye in the Sky – Alan Parsons Project_

  
Regret - n.:  a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss, disappointment,etc.

  
_“You’re all right…”_

Johnny Lawrence woke up on his dingy mattress, staring at his ceiling. Water from a burst pipe upstairs had left brown patchy rings and he pinched the bridge of his nose and squinted his eyes. The same dream. He was haunted.

He took a swig of the day old beer that had been by his bedside. It still tasted like piss but he forced it down. He rolled back on his mattress and willed sleep to find him again. It wasn’t meant to be.

_Brown eyes, filled with shock, filled with anguish…filled with regret._

_He stared back in disbelief, but acceptance. In the end, he wanted this. Whatever took away the hurt. When the contact was made, he absorbed the pain. Somewhere above the noise of the crowd he still heard the words. “I’m so sorry…”_

Johnny groaned and rolled out of the bed. He rubbed the heel of his hand into his eye. These memories had been flooding his brain, more so these days than he could ever remember in years past. If it wasn’t for that Diaz kid. If he never collided into his life. If he had just minded his own business and avoided a strangely familiar situation, he might have been spared the torture his brain was unleashing on him now.

  
_“Well look who we have here fellas, our little friend Danielle. Hello, Danielle. Whatsa matter, your Mommy not here to dress you? Hey I’m talking to you…You know points or no points…you’re dead meat.”_

  
_Johnny had stood in the doorway to the locker room. He didn’t say a word. He watched as the guys, Dutch mainly, took turns taking cheap shots at him. He tried to make eye contact with Daniel, but considering the circumstances, he didn’t try to stop what happened either. A burning tear began to form. He kept his features neutral._

  
_The referee came in to break up the scene and push them all out to the gym. Johnny held back and came back around the corner. He saw Daniel leaning against the bench. He was breathing hard. His chest rising and falling. Fear in his eyes. Nerves making his fingers fumble further on his gi. He looked up and saw Johnny leaning against the doorway again._

  
_“What…are you here to threaten me too?”_

  
_“You know I wouldn’t.”_

  
_“Ah c’mon man…that’s bullshit…you’ve been waiting for this for months now.”_

  
_“It’s not true and you know it.”_

  
_Daniel looked up at him. Johnny begged with his eyes for him to see the meaning behind them. Daniel exhaled a long-trapped resigned sigh._

  
_“Whatever got in between us…”_

  
_“Don’t…just don’t ok…this is how it has to be now. You had months to fix it…to make it right…”_

  
_Johnny took a step closer to the bench, but he could see it was like cornering a caged animal. Daniel was on high alert and his body was reflecting that. His muscles were tensed and he was straining to keep his arms down._

  
_“Look, I’m sorry…ok…I would have tried to tell you before, but after what happened. So many things got in the way…so much shit going down…My feelings were hurt too…alright?!”_

  
_Daniel scoffed. “I find that really hard to believe. You and those other guys…” he paused. “You made it quite convincing that you were over it…”_

  
_“What about you? We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t acting like idiots. You baiting me with Ali…you avoiding me…forcing me away.”_

  
_“Just once you could have stood up for me. For…us…what the truth was. And you’re right…we wouldn’t be here now.”_

  
_“I…I can’t and you know it…if those guys ever found out…” Johnny reached out and tugged at the side of Daniel’s open gi. He tried to move closer. He stood toe to toe with his rival, his eyes staring at his feet, afraid to look up anymore…afraid of the rejection waiting in the other boy’s eyes._

_“Yeah…” Daniel swallowed hard. Johnny could smell Daniel’s skin. He missed the way he smelled…what made him distinctly, Daniel. He was having trouble breathing._

_“Well I guess you don’t have to worry about that anymore.” Daniel pushed past Johnny and headed toward the exit. Johnny looked back to the doorway and bit his lower lip. He tasted the blood that had welled up from pushing the pain down._

Johnny realized he had been biting his lip just then too, tasting the blood like a salty wine. It held so much regret and reflection that he couldn’t shake, even after thirty-four years. It sat boiling under the surface. He thought he had finally put it out of his mind years and years ago, but it only took an instant, a moment to bring it all flooding back again.


	2. Naiveté

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback...of sorts...this really happened in the movie!! I think it was a deleted scene...LOL...there's going to be a few 'deleted scenes' in this story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the GREAT comments on Chapter 1!! Please let me know if you want MORE MORE MORE!!!

_Don't say words you're gonna regret_  
_Don't let the fire rush to your head_  
_I've heard the accusation before_  
_And I ain't gonna take any more_  
_Believe me_  
_The sun in your Eyes_  
_Made some of the lies worth believing_

 

Naiveté adj.- having or marked by a simple, unaffectedly direct style reflecting little or no formal training or technique

 

“I can’t believe this!!”  Daniel kicked the wall beside the slatted door to Mr. Miyagi’s maintenance room. Mr. Miyagi heard him from inside and poked his head out.

“Oi Daniel-san.  What matter?”

“Oh hey, Mr. Miya _ji_ …nothin’…well…I’m just…I dunno…rough day at school I guess.”

“Come inside, tell Miyagi.”

Daniel went in and watched as Miyagi went back to his bonsai tree and began to clip and tie.  He nodded toward the tree that Daniel had started the other day.  Daniel was too flustered to think about pruning trees. 

“Hey yeah…you remember when you fixed my bike and I had gotten pretty messed up?”

“Hai…last week.”

Daniel chuckled.  “Yeah…I guess you’re right.  Well let’s just say it wasn’t a fall it was more of a push down that hill.”

“Hai…”

“Anyway…the guys that did that are in my history class at school.  I try my best to avoid them y’know?  Well my teacher goes and assigns class projects that we need partners with. 

“What wrong with that?”

“What’s wrong with it?  I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it.  They partnered me up with the guy who did this to me.”  He said pointing to the fading bruise on his forehead. 

“Sound like good chance…get to know boy.”

“Are you kidding me?  Sounds like a good chance to get my ass kicked on a daily basis!” 

“Ah Daniel-san…must learn to look at big picture.”

 

\-------

Johnny snuck into his house later on that afternoon.  He heard shouting from the kitchen and he knew his step-father was home “laying down the law” on his mother.  He felt the anger he always felt begin as heat spread to his cheeks.  He clenched his jaw.  Usually the fighting was about him. 

He stood at the kitchen door for a few moments, listening as his mother tried to defend herself against the latest barrage of accusations. 

“All he does is hang out with those hoods all day.  The only time you see him is when he’s askin’ for money!!”

“He’s afraid of you!  He can never talk to you without a fight!”

“I don’t raise no pussy kids!!  He wants to talk to me he can come to me man to man…as it is I’m just an open checkbook!” 

“He stays out of trouble.  He’s always at the karate…thing!”  He sighed.  He loved his mother, but she never got involved with his life.  She didn’t even know the basics.  He couldn’t fault her but he was disappointed.

“That karate _thing_ is costing me a shit-ton of money!  He can’t even get a job to even PRETEND to help out.”

Johnny almost burst in the kitchen to get in the old man’s face.  His fists were clenching and unclenching.  It wasn’t worth it.  He had held the cops off this long.  He didn’t want to go down for elderly abuse. 

_“STRIKE FIRST”_

What he wouldn’t give to put that hard-learned principle into play. He turned around and went upstairs to his room.  He took off his red jacket and tossed it on the bed.  He threw his books on his desk and punched the air a few times.  “EI-AHH EI-AHH!!” Visions of the people he’d like to have on the other end of his punches flashed before him.

Speaking of which…He looked down at his desk at the book lying on top.  History.  He thought back to his class today.  He just knew he was going to be paired with Bobby or maybe even Dutch and they could probably pull off a high C, at the most, but when his teacher said he was being partnered with Daniel LaRusso he all but jumped up and called total bullshit. 

He looked to where Daniel sat and saw his head in his hands.  He could tell he was REAL thrilled with the idea…just as much as he was.  He looked to where Ali sat and she looked back at him, frowning.  His friends were even less sympathetic.

_“Ha!  You got paired up with the dweeb!”_

_“OH Man!!  This sucks for you…now you got to work with the guy who stole your chick!”_ That earned a shove into the lockers.

 _“You better watch out, Johnny…he’s got a ‘real temper’._   They all laughed and walked off.  He knew they were just messing around and had his back, but it still didn’t solve the problem of him having to spend time with the jerk.

He looked over at the picture of Ali he kept by his bedside and touched his black headband.  He fell back on the bed and punched it in frustration.  He looked at the ceiling, gritting his teeth.

\------

 

Daniel saw the group standing by their lockers the next day.  He had his bag already.  He was nervous.  He was jittery and trying to find 100 ways out of doing what he had to do today.  Ali had been sympathetic, but she knew there was nothing anyone could do to change the facts.  They had both even tried talking to the history teacher to convince him to switch partners.  It was a no-go.

 _“He’s sadistic…”_ She told him and patted his shoulder.

_“Yeah…what did I ever do to him?”_

_“Look just do what you got to do and get it over with.  I’m really looking forward to going out with you on Friday.  Let’s just think about that.”_ She tried to remain positive.

_“Ok…sounds like a plan.  Wish me luck.”_

He tried to play it cool and remember his Jersey roots.  He approached the group and they saw him coming.  They immediately started poking each other in the ribs and began laughing like hyenas.  Johnny smirked at him.  He was still actually pretty pissed but he put on a good show for the guys. 

“Hey Johnny…I think your study-buddy is here!” 

“Did your Mommy pack your snacks for your play date?”  Tommy shouldered past Daniel on the way out of the door.  Daniel tried to ignore him and kept his gaze trained on Johnny, still intent to speak his piece.

“That’s enough guys…”  Johnny said staring back.  He laughed as they high-fived him and boo’d him “You’re no fun!” 

When they had left, Johnny turned and leaned back against his locker.  He put a knee up and shoved his hands in his pockets.  He continued to stare at Daniel who fidgeted more on his feet.  He continued to look at him making the younger man uncomfortable, his face stony, his blue eyes sharp and fierce.  He was using his best intimidation face.

“So what…we just gonna stand here and look at each other all day?”  Daniel said, glancing away from his eyes to stare at the locker behind him.

Johnny pushed away from the lockers and started walking toward the double doors of the school.  Daniel followed him.  They exited the building and Johnny looked up and down the street.  There were not many students milling around and his buddies had taken off.  There was no one around who would see the pair together.  He sighed and started down the stairs to where his motor bike was waiting for him.  He looked back at Daniel who was sort of trying to keep up with him.  They stopped in front of his bike. 

“We’re going to the library.”

“Yeah…ok…I guess we should start there.” He glanced over to where his bicycle was chained in the rack with a couple other bikes.  He looked back at Johnny who was doing the same.

“Dammit, LaRusso. Why do you have to be so lame?” 

“Hey…I’m sorry I don’t come from money and have everything I want fall in my lap…well almost everything…”  He said boldly raising an eyebrow at Johnny. 

“Do I have to kick your ass before we even start?”  Johnny raised his fists up.

“Nah…c’mon man…let’s just get this over with.”

“Well you’re gonna have to ride with me on my bike...it’ll take you five hours to make it to the library on that thing.”

“Shh..sure I guess that’ll work.”  Daniel looked at the close proximity that the two would have to be in.  After all, it was just a dirt bike.  Could it be any less awkward?

Johnny looked up the street again and shook his head.  He put his leg over the bike and waited for Daniel to do the same.  It was a close fit.  “Don’t touch me.”

“That’s going to be near impossible.”  He was pressed up against Johnny’s back barely enough room to have a seat at all.  He put his backpack securely on his back and grabbed hold of the back of the seat as Johnny kicked it on.  The bike roared to life and Johnny sped off down the street. 

It was all Daniel could do to hold on for dear life.  Johnny grinned as he revved the engine and gave the bike more gas.  They were doing over 40 in a residential neighborhood.  He felt Daniel grab at the back of his shirt then let go quickly.  He was trying his best not to have to touch him.  He went a little faster.

“Hey…man…slow down…you’re gonna get us killed!”

Johnny weaved in and out of traffic and Daniel was about to just say _‘screw this’_ and hold on to him whether he liked it or not.  Johnny finally took a little pity on him.

“Hold on to me...” He shouted back at Daniel over the noise of the engine. 

Relieved, Daniel put his hands on Johnny’s red-jacketed shoulders.  He knew the library was a little over five miles away on the outskirts of town, and he would have fallen off for sure if they got to the highway.  His slender fingers felt the broadness of the muscles moving underneath the jacket and shirt.  He was impressed.  This must have been what all the karate training must have done for him.  He quickly flashed back to the way Johnny had looked at him when he recognized him from the dojo. 

He hadn’t realized he gripped his shoulders tighter than he expected when Johnny flinched them.

“Sorry…”  He said close to his ear. 

He moved his hands down to Johnny’s waist.  He didn’t necessarily put his arms around him but he gripped the sides of his hips holding himself in place.  Johnny looked down at his lap and didn’t respond.  They rode the rest of the way in silence.  Johnny felt Daniel’s chest pressed against his back and felt the rise and fall of his breathing as it evened out over the ride.  In some strange, bizarre way, it was comforting.  Their breathing fell into place and Johnny felt they were taking their breaths at the same time, matching each other.  His heartbeat sped up.  He pulled the bike over at the library and cut the bike off.  He sat there for a minute.  Daniel was dazed.  He could still feel the warmth of his back against his chest and it took a minute to realize the ride was over.

“Get off...”

“Oh yeah…sorry!”  Daniel hopped off the bike and Johnny parked it.  He quickly ran up the few steps it took to get to the library and entered the building.  Johnny looked in his rear-view mirror and fixed his feathered blond hair into place. 

He found Daniel in the library, his books already spread out across the table.  He was taking out a notebook and a couple of pens.  Johnny shook his head and sulked over to a chair and flopped down on it.  He put his feet on top of the table and leaned back.  He put his hands behind his head and stared as Daniel started flipping pages.

Johnny stared off into space.  He was bored already.  He yawned and looked at his watch. 

“Hey how long is this gonna take, LaRusso?”

Daniel stopped and looked back at him.  “You know it’d go a lot faster, if you helped…I ain’t making this grade for both of us.”

Johnny frowned at him and pushed away from his chair.  He flinched towards Daniel as if he was intending to hit him.  Daniel tensed and brought his hands up.  Was this guy seriously going to jump him in the library?

“Relax…Geeze…I’m just fuckin with ya.”  He scruffed the back of Daniel’s head and walked off down a row of books.  He returned with a bunch and tossed them on the pile.  “There…happy?”

“Do you even know what we’re doing?”

“Nope.”

It was difficult to find a common ground between them, but after about an hour of Daniel trying and Johnny goofing around the two finally settled on the topic of World War II and the German Concentration Camps. 

They were both deep into books, blond tousled head bent over a book with pictures of tanks and planes dropping bombs, lightly brushing dark black wavy hair bent of a book of his own, looking at pictures of naval ships and U-boats.  It had grown dark outside and the desk lamp on the table was the only thing illuminating the small area.  Their elbows touched and their knees bumped pleasantly into the other’s as they closely examined the pictures and read the text.  Daniel jotted a few notes and Johnny looked over on the page that Daniel was getting his notes from.  “Don’t forget to add this…”  He said reaching over to point at a sentence that he liked.  He looked up at that moment just as Daniel’s eyes met his.  Large and brown, the light casting shadows between them. He liked Daniel’s enthusiasm and the way he smiled when he thought something was ‘Awesome’!

“Yeah…” he said and after a pause looked away from Johnny, his smile fading. 

Johnny cleared his throat. “I gotta go to the john.”  He stood up and left Daniel to look back after him, confused.

When he came back to the table, he found Daniel distractedly biting the end of his pencil and staring at the bookshelf across from him.

“Hey…we gotta head outta here.  I gotta do some shit before I go home.”

Daniel nodded and started packing his bag and stacking up the books.  He handed Johnny a copy of the notes he went to make at the copier while Johnny was in the restroom. 

“Thanks…” He said, grabbing the notes and taking out his wallet.  He opened it to shove the notes in one of the pockets.  A picture fell out on the table, landing face up in front of them.

It was a picture of Ali, smiling, her perfect white teeth, her pretty blue eyes, a pink hairband holding her curly blond hair into place.

Daniel looked at her. 

Johnny’s hand hesitated over the photo.

Daniel looked up at him.  He actually looked at him.  Not seeing the bully that punched and kicked him on the beach.  Not seeing the one that nudged him off of the hill, or mocked him at the soccer practice that got him kicked off the team before he could even join.  He saw the strain in Johnny’s eyes as he hesitantly picked up the picture and handed it back over to him.

“Look…I know it’s none of my business…”

“You’re damn right, it’s none of your business.”

“I...just mean…hey…you guys are broke up right?   Can’t you just like…forgettaboutit?”  Daniel said trying to bring some humor back into a tense situation.

Out of nowhere, Johnny shoved Daniel back up against a wall of books.  Their faces were inches apart and rage sparked behind cold blue eyes.  Daniel was pinned between the books and solid mass and the anger built up in the body in front of him, left him breathless.

“Stay out of what you don’t understand, LaRusso.”  His finger jabbed close to his face. His other hand gripped Daniel’s t-shirt tightly in his fist.   “You know what you could do to help?  Leave her alone!”  He relaxed his hold and stepped back. 

The librarian, hearing the commotion, was making her way toward the pair. Johnny straightened out Daniel’s tee and nodded in the woman’s direction letting her know everything was fine.  He straightened his jacket and walked away. 

“Well…that ended nicely.”  Daniel said swallowing the lump of fear in his throat.

Johnny’s bike was already started when Daniel rushed out of the library.  He didn’t look at him as he climbed back on.  Nothing was said between them as they drove back to the school.  Out of necessity, he again, placed his hands at Johnny’s waist but he held himself back as much as he could.  Thoughts swirled in his brain…he was trying to piece a lot of things together…and once he was able to put his pride aside, saw how naïve he was.  How would he feel if the same thing had happened to him? He absently rubbed the material at the hem of Johnny’s shirt.  It was all he could do to stop himself from resting his forehead against the boy’s back.  He was tired.  He head was muddled. 

They arrived back at the school and Daniel got off of the bike.  Johnny revved it and looked at him.  His eyes looked watery to him.  He noticed as Johnny blinked back a tear. 

“Hey…listen…I’m sorry for what I said back there.”  Daniel bravely put a hand on Johnny’s forearm.  “I understand it’s rough.”  He could see Johnny’s jaw working.  He was fighting hard to keep it together. “Look…why don’t we make a deal…?”

Johnny revved his engine again, preparing to take off.  He didn’t have to hang around anymore, he didn’t even care if Daniel made it home ok.  He just wanted gone.  “What…”

“How bout we don’t talk about _girls_ ,” he said with emphasis meaning one girl in particular, “while we’re on this project, and you don’t threaten to kick my face in every time you look at me.”

“Funny I don’t think I got the better end of this _deal_ ,” Johnny said as he eased away from the curb.  “But you got yourself a deal…now get outta here before I kick your ass...”  He smirked again at Daniel and drove off into the night.   Daniel shook his head a smile playing around his lips as he went to retrieve his own bike and make his way home.


	3. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny is confronted with his past...can he ever move on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for all the positive reviews...I hope you are loving this story...it has been so easy to write. I LOVE ANGST!!!
> 
> I have one more chapter after this, my lovelies, so STAY TUNED!! Please let me know what you think in the comments below!!!

Revelation: n. a surprising and previously unknown fact, especially one that is made known in a dramatic way.

  
_Don't leave false illusions behind_  
_Don't cry 'cause I ain't changing my mind_  
_So find another fool like before_  
_'Cause I ain't gonna live anymore believing_  
_Some of the lies while all of the signs are deceivin’_

 

_“You gotta be kidding me…”_

 

Johnny threw the car into reverse. He was beyond pissed off.  Enraged seemed to be the more appropriate word. What the hell was his kid doing over at LaRusso’s house?

 

He was drunk.  He was more than drunk. He was five seconds from passing out.  His vision blurred.  All he could see in front of him was Robby...defending LaRusso.  Threatening _him_.  His car weaved on the road.  Tears he didn’t feel like wiping away began to course down his cheeks.  All he wanted to do was know his son.  All he wanted to do was move past all the years of pain and denial with Daniel.  They had been so close.

 

The night before, he had heard the sounds of glass smashing, loud yelling and the smell of gas.  He rushed out of his apartment to find a bunch of thugs beating the hell out of his Firebird.  All he saw was red when he learned that the main douchebag, the one who could talk,  told him that LaRusso ordered them to do this.  He thought the message was clear enough.  They lived in this town together.  No one was forcing the other to even have to acknowledge the other’s presence.  But this was crossing the line.  It was painful enough the few times lately they had crossed each other’s paths. Fate always had a way of making you confront the past, and it seemed as if the stars were lining up for them to be done with this once and for all.

 

He went to Daniel’s house intending to tell him to knock it off...leave him alone.  He had every right to open the dojo, get students and teach them karate.  When he got there he felt that same old familiar stab in the guts, twisting at the sight of him.  Everytime he had seen him these days, he studied the man, the lines that wore on his face, the remembrances of his youthful boyish smile hinting at the corners of his mouth.  Johnny took his ribbing with tolerance.  He knew what the story was.  He had to look good in front of his people.  Daniel shouldn’t have to be reminded of his past.  

 

He had almost fought him again.  All of the anger and hurt welled up inside of him and he just wanted to feel something one more time.  He hated Daniel’s smugness.  He hated the fact that he succeeded where Johnny could not.  He was reminded of that fact on almost a daily basis.  From the commercials, to the billboards, to the radio, Daniel had become his nightmare.  Even with their past, Johnny felt trapped underneath what had become of them.  He seemed to be the only one holding the torch.  Daniel had moved on.  Why couldn’t he?

 

After a forced breakfast, that needed way more salt and didn’t have ketchup...bleh...he needed ketchup on his eggs...they had headed over to the car lot and wound up taking an unexpected walk down memory lane.  It was like sunlight coming through the clouds on a stormy day to Johnny.  He felt the years peeling away from him like layers of skin on an onion.  It was so refreshing to be near him.  He fought past the voices that were screaming in his brain ‘be careful, be on your guard, you can’t trust him.’

 

“ _"I remember...I kicked your ass around that corner.”_

 

_“Yeah...how’d that end?”_

 

He watched as Daniel walked around his old stomping grounds.  A wistful smile lit his eyes as Daniel reminisced about the ‘good old days’ but frowned when he assumed that Johnny’s life was nothing but a bed of roses.  

 

_“I never knew…”_

 

In the bar around the corner, they shared awkward conversation that melted into easy communication.  It was if they had picked up where they had left off.  They had finished each other’s sentences, talked about the woman that had been the source of all of their animosity and how she was no longer in either of their lives.  Johnny gripped the side of the bar and looked at Daniel.  Daniel was staring at his drink.  It didn’t seem as if he was thinking about the past as much as he was trying to avoid having to face it.  Johnny scruffed his hand through his blond hair.  So much time wasted.  So much life.  They could have been happy.  He could have been happy.  What would their life had been like, if it were not for the rocks thrown into the mix?  He turned to look at Daniel.

 

_“Hey man…”_

 

_“Don’t.”_

 

_“God, Daniel...are we ever going to talk about it?”_

 

_“What is there to talk about?”_

 

_“Are you fucking kidding me? Johnny looked at Daniel and put a hand over his.  “We’re back in this for a reason...you have to admit that.  It’s been so long.  Why here, why now?”_

 

_“Johnny...I’m married...it’s behind me.  I’ve forgotten...everything...do you understand?  I’ve moved on.  You should too.  I know you were married...I’m sorry it didn’t work out.  Maybe you could have found a way to put it behind you as well.”_

 

_“Don’t you pity me, LaRusso.  It’s just that...we never got closure.  You never understood what those days meant to me.  We left the wounds and they never healed and things just got worse from there.  I’ll always wonder ‘what if’ ...don’t you feel the same?”_

 

 _“I can’t, Johnny...I just can’t...what we had was…”_  Daniel sighed and finally looked at him.  He looked at the lines around Johnny’s eyes.  He looked at his hands.  He looked into blue eyes that the lights had dimmed and dulled.  He saw the pain that always lived right on the edge...waiting to spill over.  He saw restraint.  All he had to do was acquiesce...but he lived in years of denial.  He had learned to push it down, to blame, to accuse to see things the way HE wanted to see them.  It was Johnny’s fault.  It would always be Johnny’s fault.

 

Johnny’s hand was burning into his skin, still resting on his own.  He wanted to take it away, but maybe it was the number of drinks he consumed or him just thinking too hard.  It wasn’t until he felt Johnny’s thumb lightly stroking his finger that he jerked his hand away suddenly.  It was the end of the conversation.

 

Daniel had invited Johnny to come back to his house to see his dojo.  He wanted to show Johnny some things he had gotten from Okinawa with Miyagi. Johnny was grousing on how much he disliked that little man, but then was really grateful he had been there when Kreese had tried to kill him.  He had grew a tiny thread of respect for the old man and was sad to learn he had passed away.

 

Now he was here driving on a road...he had no idea where he was.  The lights unfocused in his eyes, he thought for sure he ran a couple of red ones.  He hoped the police would pull him over so that they would take him to jail so he wouldn’t have to face this reality.  It seemed as if he was the only one on the road.  Luck was never in his favor.  

 

_“You're nothing, you lost, you’re a loser…”_

 

Johnny pounded his steering wheel.  His life was a mess.  Not even his students mattered to him right now.  He wanted his son.  It tore him apart.  He wanted Daniel...he wanted to hurt him and to love him.  He heard his yelling to get the hell out of his house and whatever small little threads that had begun to fuse between them were forcefully ripped apart.  This time for good.

 

His car finally drove into familiar territory.  Up ahead was the beach.  The beach he had been to countless times as a kid.  The beach he took all of his dates to for some action.  The beach where he finally found a deeper connection, a deeper meaning to something more.  The beach where he first met the scrawny little bane of his existence.  The beach where his love was born and untimely withered and died.  

 

He parked his car and stumbled out of it.  He took the bottle of tequila he had secreted away in a brown paper bag when he had pulled over for gas, peeing on the license plate and cursing his life.  He went up to the dunes overlooking the ocean.  He easily found the spot that he vowed he would never return to.  He knew it like the back of his hand.  The ocean waves crashed and roared over a desolate, dark sea.  

 

He looked out at the ocean and took a long drink from the bottle.  He had tried so hard to get his life together.  He had cleaned up his act...so he thought, he thought he had put the past behind him along with the bottle.  He thought he had control.  He realized then and there that he never had control.  All he had was the bottle in front of him.  The bottle that never, ever let him down.  The temporary comfort and numbness that dulled the pain.  He realized he would never be free from any of it and that only the bottle could make him forget, if at least for awhile, the inescapable, overpowering, overbearing, unending, unrequited love he felt for the man who would never feel the same in return.  

 

_“Why…”_


	4. Emergence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More backstory! These were the "deleted scenes" of The Karate Kid...at least in my mind...for this story!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, guys!! I think I have one left in me for an Epilogue!!
> 
> I hope you all are EMPjoying my little tale! I am having a GREAT time writing it! 
> 
> Please let me know what you think in the comments below!!! I REALLY appreciate ALL the comments and kudos! Keep 'em coming!!

Emergence n.: Evolution. the appearance of new properties or species in the course of development or evolution.

  
_I am the eye in the sky_  
_Looking at you_  
_I can read your mind_  
_I am the maker of rules_  
_Dealing with fools_  
_I can cheat you blind_  
_And I don't need to see any more_  
_To know that..._

  
_Hands fisting in hair. Rolling in the sand. Water rushing in between legs. Giddy exploration. Exhilarating feelings of teenage want and defiance of right and wrong. Soft sighs as mouths taste and tease marking territory on heated skin. A giggle._

  
_"How am I going to explain that?"_

_"Just tell them Ali gave it to you." Said through gritted teeth._

_"How are you going to explain yours?"_

_"Good question."_

_A hand resting against the front of his sweatpants stopped any further talk for several minutes. They clung desperately to each other as the emotions became too intense._

_"What are we doing?" Johnny said relaxing his hold and resting on his elbows, looking down at the boy below him. His face was in awe as he was trapped and lost in large doe eyes that were just as intent as his own._

_"I dunno...I think I was just about to find out if you were ticklish or not." Daniel kidded trying to find a spot to poke Johnny in the ribs. He didn't like it when things became too serious._

_Their legs were tangled together the ocean water lapping between the pair and Johnny's thigh was pressed comfortably between Daniel's. Johnny reached up and brushed the hair out of Daniel's eyes leaving a trail of wet sand behind._

  
_"I've never been happier..."_

_Daniel scoffed. "Come on...you really don't mean that." He looked past Johnny up to the moon._

_"No...I really do...when I'm with you I don't have to pretend to be the tough guy. I don't have to keep up with all the pressure."_

_"Yeah...It's been...different...that's for sure." Daniel pulled Johnny back down into a long, slow kiss. He kissed better than any_ _girl he had kissed before._

_They had kissed for hours the first time and Daniel didn't think he would ever be satisfied, always wanting more._

It had happened quite by accident. Working on their project for history class. They had spent more time than they realized together. The library, the park. More and more they were just making excuses to hang out with each other. Daniel liked Johnny's casual sense of humor and Johnny liked how passionate Daniel got when he was debating him. They had gone to the movies a couple of times and hung out at the mall. Always as a pair...none of Johnny's friends ever showed up, and Daniel...well as of late, Johnny seemed to be the only "friend" he had.

  
He still stopped in to check on Mr. Miyaji? Miyagi? From time to time. He told Daniel-san how proud he was that he had made a friend out of an enemy. Daniel smirked. He wasn't quite sure it had gotten that far.

  
Once he asked if he could go to Johnny's house to work on the project there. Johnny got a strange look in his eye. He knew his stepdad would be home and he didn't want the hassle of trying to keep an argument at bay. He didn't even have any of his Cobra Kai buddies stop by...they had come over once or twice with disastrous results. He knew he would be shredded if his stepdad knew he hung out with a kid from Reseda. Daniel had tried getting him to come over to his apartment to work one day, after school.

  
"Hey, Johnny...we gonna finish up the section on the Allied Forces today? You can stop by my apartment later...you know...if that's cool."

  
"Yeah...Johnny! Why don't you go over to your little girlfriend's house and hang out." Dutch said coming up from behind Daniel and slung and arm over his shoulder. Daniel nearly jumped out of his skin and shoved the older boy's arm off. He swung around and put his hands up.

  
"Easy...EASY...Nancy...we don't want to get you upset!!" Dutch and Tommy laughed and high-fived each other.

"C'mon, Johnny ditch this loser...we got practice...that is...unless you want to go home with your girlfriend...you been spending an awful lot of time with her lately. We don't see you no more."

  
Johnny could not help the red from spreading to his cheeks, if it was out of embarrassment or anger, most likely the latter. He shoved Dutch hard in the chest and pushed past Daniel. "Are you kidding me? You know my stepdad'll kill me if I bring home another F...I'm just here for the easy A. Let's get outta here..." They walked off without a second glance. Daniel stayed quiet, backed up against the lockers.

When it was safe he picked up his bag and headed out the door. He didn't want to think he was getting his hopes up that things would be easy between the two. The shared camaraderie between them seemed to last as far as the project went. He was going to see Ali that night for their big date. She had kept putting him off for a while, saying she had to work and that her project was taking a lot out of her. They had finally decided they both needed a break and he was to pick her up at eight.

  
They had gone to Golf and Stuff and despite the shame of picking her up in his mom's old station wagon, they had a blast. They had stayed there a couple of hours and were leaving when a car full of kids pulled up being drove by Johnny. Johnny and Daniel looked at each other for a long minute. Daniel put an arm around Ali as she refused to go with the kids. Daniel and Johnny had not stopped looking at one another. Daniel's mom pulled up beside them breaking the tension, and Daniel sighed in utter humiliation as he was mocked. She was clueless about the social faux pas she committed. Johnny remained silent as the others laughed, his ever-present smirk on his face. He looked at Daniel once more as if apologizing with his eyes, but they grew dark as he saw Daniel's arm around Ali tighten. He frowned and sped off. Not a word was spoken between them.

  
Daniel gripped the dashboard of his mother's car. The air was off between he and Ali. He told her she should have gone with the other kids...he knew she would probably not want to be associated with the likes of him and his mom anyway. He knew he was poor and could never give her what she wanted. He had no money to toss around. She assured him that everything was fine, but Daniel was not convinced. What a smug bastard Johnny was. Maybe she should be with him instead. They didn't say much in the car as his mom drove them back to her house. He was still brooding over what had happened when she got out of the car.

  
"So I guess I'll see you around?"

  
"Yeah...sure."

  
"Daniel...what's wrong..."

  
"Nothing...nothing...look I'm sorry...I'll see you at school on Monday, alright?"

  
He left her at the door with a small peck on the cheek. She watched him from the porch. His mother's car backfired in the silence of the night as they puttered their way out of the rich neighborhood.

  
It was around midnight and Daniel couldn't sleep. His bedside lamp was on and he stared at the ceiling. He kept seeing Johnny looking at him, disappointed. Why should it bother him? He picked at the corner of his bedspread. He didn't even care that he blew off Ali. He sighed in frustration and hopped out of his bed. He snuck out of his house and grabbed his bike. He needed to escape for a while.

  
He found himself back at school. The place was desolate. The streetlights were on giving the place an eerie atmosphere. He rode his bike over to the elementary playground. He was just intending to find a bench or swing to sit on. As he drew closer he saw a shadowed form hunched over on a picnic bench. A small red glowing light faded in and out. He realized whoever was there was smoking. By the smell in the air, it was weed. He didn't want to disturb whomever may be out at this time of night and he tried to peddle past the form; with enough glow of the streetlamp, he made out familiar features.

  
"Johnny?"

  
Startled. "Oh...hey...LaRusso...What are you doing out here?" A cough.

  
"I could ask you the same thing."

  
"Nothin' Mind your business."

  
"Hey...whatever man...you want to be out here killing brain cells be my guest."

  
"Who asked you anyway? Did you have fun screwing _my_ girlfriend?" Johnny jumped up from the bench and approached Daniel who had gotten off of his bike. He had almost had enough of Johnny's crap.

  
"I thought we already determined she was _my_ girlfriend...or did you not get that message tonight?"

  
"Screw you, LaRusso..."

  
"Get in line..."

  
Johnny shoved Daniel's shoulders, hard. "Hey...don't start no shit with me tonight...it's too late...I just came out here to...to..."

  
"To what?"

  
"I dunno...think...I guess..."

  
"Feeling guilty?"

  
"Hell no...what's to feel guilty about...you took her from me..."

"That's not what I meant."

  
Johnny studied Daniel and stepped closer. He had backed Daniel to where he was pressed against the back of the picnic table.

  
"What do you mean?" He said softly.

  
Daniel didn't know what to do with his hands. He settled on gripping the sides of the table as he tried to defuse the situation. He swallowed hard and watched Johnny look at the way his Adam's apple bobbed.

  
Johnny came close enough to share the same air. Their breaths mingling their mouths inches apart. Daniel smiled nervously in the dark. The intensity in Johnny's eyes didn't leave.

  
"Hey...Johnny...listen...I just want to know...if things were different...I mean..."

  
"How's this for different?" Johnny mashed his lips hard against Daniel's dominating the situation. Daniel whimpered and stared back at him as he kissed him forcefully. He brought his hands up to push him away, but found that when he did, he kept them there, on his t-shirt, feeling the racing heartbeat underneath.

  
When the broke away, Johnny looked down at the ground, clearly uncomfortable by what had happened. He rubbed the back of his neck, waiting to be punched or ran away from. He dared a look back and found Daniel staring at him, eyes wide and mouth agape. They both swallowed and shook the cobwebs out of their heads.

  
"Wow..."

  
"Hey...I'm...I'm sorry...I don't know why I did that..."

  
"No...Johnny...no...it's ok...really." He put a hand on his forearm and stroked it lightly. "I kinda liked it." Daniel said smiling shyly.

  
"You did?" Johnny's eyes lit up. Daniel could see his boyish smile in the semi-darkness.

  
"Yeah..." Daniel said pulling him closer again.

  
They kissed each other until dawn. They loved the feel of each other's hair between fingers, and hands on bare chests when they wandered up between t-shirts. Their lips swollen, they finally parted and realized they had to go home. Johnny offered Daniel a ride in his car back to his apartment, but Daniel told him he had a lot to think about but asked if they could meet again later. Between kisses, Johnny promised him that he would and he smiled the blue of his eyes sparkling in the dawn of morning. He sped away, leaving Daniel to turn crazy figure eights on his bike in the parking lot.

  
_I can read your mind, I can read your mind._


	5. Young Hearts, Old Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A closure for Johnny...He has made peace with his life. Can Daniel do the same? What will happen in Season 2??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...this is the END...or is it!!?? I really would love to go into some more "deleted scenes" if anyone would be interested??
> 
> Thank you SO MUCH for sticking with me through this little angsty journey...I hope I did them justice!!
> 
> Thank you for ALL of the comments and kudos and views!! I'm off to watch Cobra Kai for the 10th time...LOL!! I'm hooked!
> 
> Song for Chapter: Young Hearts - Commuter

_Young hearts beat fast_  
_Driving down the road_  
_Rubber, plastic, metal, glass_  
_Why did you have to go?_  
_Young hearts die young_  
_When they're all alone_  
_And there's no turning back now_

 

_“Robby…are you ok?”_

_“Get the hell away from me!”_

Hurt…like a twisted, vile snake lay coiled inside the pit of Johnny’s stomach.  So many times during the tournament, he had wanted to call it off.  To go over and end this game once and for all.  Even if it risked damaging and losing his son forever, he was already too far gone.  His heart squeezed painfully in his chest as he watched his son and his rival bond closer than they ever could have.   _‘What have I done to deserve this?’_

The night was made of one-upmanship and subtle jabs at the past.  Johnny knew where to sting to get Daniel’s attention.  It worked every time.  Deep down he knew how to get to the core of Daniel, even if he claimed what they had no longer mattered.  Even something as blatant as a crane kick from his number one student chipped into his fragile veneer of indifference.   Throughout the day he found himself catching his eye…expressing more words in the depths of his own than anything he could bring himself to say.  After all of the time that had past, they still could read each other’s minds. 

When Miguel wrenched Robby’s arm as he tried to help him up, Johnny was floored.  He saw a younger version of himself and Daniel, in a similar situation.  He had brought real pain to the person he had loved the most in the world, the one he wanted to be with, the one he regretted ever having to bring a drop of sadness to his reality, evident all over his face.  At that point, he had thrown every chance of their crumbling relationship away because of fear, because of punishment, because of judgment. 

 

 _“Sweep the leg…do you have a problem with that?”_   What was he asking him to do?  The thought of having to permanently injure Daniel mortified Johnny.  It was evident in the abject look of horror in his disbelieving eyes.

_“No Sensei…”_

 

_“FINISH HIM!!!”_

 

\-------

 

“Daniel…where have you been?  I’ve called you every day this week!”

“Look man…things have been…busy…I’m sorry I just can’t always come when you call…I got stuff I gotta do…things.”

“Things are more important?  You can’t make time to hang out?"

“Look...I gotta go…can we do this later?”  Daniel hung up the phone.

Weeks had past.  Johnny wasn’t actively looking for Daniel, but he always kept an eye out for him.  Where he was.  There never seemed to be an opportune time.  The other Cobra Kai were always around him, distracting him.  He would look up sometimes catching Daniel staring at him from down a walkway or across a classroom.  When he would try to make a move toward him, Daniel would back away and go in a different direction.  He had no idea what was happening.  He tried to brush it off as just not finding the right time to get together.  It was hard trying to find ways to be alone with one another without drawing attention.

“We gotta talk…” He had finally cornered Daniel by his locker one day in early October. He had given Daniel some space and left him alone as much as he possibly could.  Maybe Daniel didn’t feel as strongly for him as Johnny did.  Something had changed within him.  He wasn’t going be a wimp and pussy out but he wanted to know exactly where he stood.  He had had about enough of the avoidance and flaunting of Ali in his face.  He had given up on her, but he didn’t want to stop with Daniel…not yet.

“I…I can’t…I got class…can this wait?”

“When?  When is it a good time?  I hate feeling like the chick in this _relationship_...”  He said, his voice lowered.  There were few people left in the hallway and no one was paying attention to the drama unfolding by the lockers.

“So is that what this is now?”

“What the hell do you mean by that?”

“I dunno…this…all of this…it just doesn’t seem real…right?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about...”

“Yeah…well why is it, when I want to come talk to you, see you around here…try to come over to your house, you act like you don’t even know me.  Like I don’t exist or something…like you couldn’t wait to get with those other guys and take turns giving me shit…I’m sorry…I didn’t sign up for that…”

“You don’t understand…you got it all wrong…”

“NO…I think I got it all right…you can’t stick up for me in front of your ‘friends’…I’m not worth anything to you except in secret.  Well I don’t want to be a secret!!”  Daniel’s voice rose loud enough to turn heads.  Johnny looked nervously around and tried to play it off. 

“See right there…that’s what I’m talking about…”  Daniel slammed his locker door and pushed past Johnny to get to his class. 

“What do you want me to say?!”  Johnny yelled at his retreating back.

Daniel turned around walking backwards with his arms outstretched.  “You said it already…”  He turned and made his way to his next class leaving Johnny standing in the middle of an empty hallway.  His fist clenched. He punched a locker and left the building.

After that, he had seen Daniel more often than not…always in the presence of Ali.  He watched the pair get closer and every time he tried to make contact, Daniel would flirt harder and laugh louder with the girl beside him.  It was eating away at Johnny.  It made him bitter, angry and hurt beyond words.  He took the hint.  If this was how he wanted it…this was how it was going to be…He spent a lot more time at Cobra Kai than normal.  The picture of Daniel and Ali in front of him as he punched the air…”You want to be alone? Fine…you’ll be alone!”

 

_“You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you, you little twerp? No you had to push it…Well now you’re gonna pay!”_

 

\-------

_“I’m not saying you need to like the guy…I know I never will…but…he is your father…you just gotta remember…he’s not a monster.”_

Johnny snapped back into reality.  Miguel was loudly congratulating him over his victory. Screaming into the microphone…VICTORY!!  They did it.  They had won.  Miguel had won…Johnny was emotionless.  He felt dead…hollow…everything he was taught to believe…everything he felt in the past…the mantras that he lived by…strike first…strike hard…no mercy…meant NOTHING to him.  It wasn’t right.  He wasn’t right.  He was in the middle of an epiphany.

“Robby…I’m…I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok, dad…It’s ok.”

“You got what you wanted Johnny, you won…Congratulations.”

Johnny looked down and looked up to watch him leave.

“Daniel…wait!”

Daniel turned around.  He motioned for Robby to go and wait for him in the locker room.  Robby gave a cautious look to both of them and left.

Daniel went over to him and looked him in the eyes.  They were face to face with one another.  Daniel sighed and twisted nervously at his wedding ring.  “What is it?”

Johnny paused.  He almost backed away again from confronting the demons he had dealt with all his life.  The memories of 30 years flooding in overlapping overtaking each one compiling that it had left him momentarily speechless. 

Daniel shook his head.  He was about to write Johnny off again and turn to walk away when a roughened voice choked with emotion spoke softly.

“I…I love you.”

Daniel’s heart thudded to a halt inside of his chest.  He turned back to face the man in front of him.  Johnny shrugged helplessly. His eyes blinking back tears. 

“I love _you_.”

Daniel swallowed hard.  Years of anger and blame so deep making his chest seize almost to the point where he reached his hand up to clutch it.  The revelation was a serious blow dealt harder than any kick or punch could ever be delivered.

A small smile touched the corners of Johnny’s mouth.  He was FINALLY at peace with EVERYTHING in his life.  It didn’t matter if Daniel couldn’t say the words back to him.  It didn’t matter if he never felt the same.  He just needed him to know. 

“I wish…”  Daniel came closer and took one of Johnny’s hands.  “I wish you would have told me sooner.”  His eyes never left his oldest and dearest enemy and friend’s.  “All I can say is I’m sorry…it’s just 30 years too late.  Goodbye, Johnny.”  He squeezed the warm calloused hand, turned and walked away.

 

 _The innocence you thought you lost_ _  
Is staring back at you_

**Author's Note:**

> I keep having Daniel say 'Miyaji' because at this point in the movie, Miyagi still has not corrected him yet... it's sad but the breakdown of their fragile friendship is still to come :(


End file.
